Golf cart accident
 

There was a Daily Sun news report about a golf cart accident today. It happened in a tunnel near Savannah Center and one person went to the hospital with minor injuries. That's it! Just enough to make you wonder what happened. Did it involve two golf carts or was it one golf cart running into the wall of the tunnel. Why did they even bother reporting it? Are they just filling space?

Does it make a difference....one cart or two?

Basic Journalism 101: Who What When Where Why and How? Missing from most newspapers today.

A little off original topic but
 

don't you often find yourself just shaking your head after many news items - most particularly on the TV (tube) - because they'll tell you something w/out any pertinent details such as, "A dog may have been seen in The Villages this evening. Back to you, Monica". Why did they bother to tell us that?

Just my humble take on it. Back to the cart snafu.

Maybe not mentioning names because of trying not to invade privacy....and not making a big deal of it because....... They are the developer don't cha know?

Names aren't necessary, but it would be interesting to know if one cart entered the tunnel in the oncoming lane; or the cart appears to have turned too quickly and overturned or dumped it's passenger, or whatever.

Do I need to know this? I don't know, but it just would make a story that much more compelling.

Also knowing some detail might (not likely, though) be helpful in keeping other golf cart drivers from making the same error.

I thought all of the same things as I read the incomplete story.
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I find it funny that folks complain when the Sun doesn't report something and then they complain when they do report...

I think the moral of the story is: S&*T happens...be careful out there!

But hey, whatever . . .:)

Or they are getting tired of reporting them. This is what number 3000 of golf cart accidents.

The POA wants residents to contact them about golfcart accidents to compile a database for a monthy report in the POA publication.

Police reports are released 90 days after an accident and the Sun seems to omit quite a few. We need to know!!!

I agree!
Just don't see how knowing if it was two carts, one cart, hit the wall, hit the curb, hit the tree, etc, will change how anyone will drive their cart in the future.

Would really like to know why we need to know??

They probably collect data to see if certain locations have more accidents than others. This will give them the information they need to maybe make the accident prone areas safer??

Actually, the current POA newsletter does a pretty good job of explaining their logic. By compiling and reporting statistics it will educate and inform the residents on the frequency of incidents and location of danger spots. Also, more exposure will just generally heighten awareness that these are powerful vehicles and not toys.

I'm one of those who used to despise the POA newsletters, but, I gotta give them credit now. They address a wide range of controversial issues in a thorough and fair manner. These are topics that the Developer/Sun shy away from as they might be perceived as negatives to prospective homebuyers.

As with all information sources.... TOTV, POA, Daily Sun, Television News....it's up to each of us to decide what we choose to read and what we elect to ignore. Sounds to me like there is a fair amount of interest in this subject.

Perhaps the education of the fact that there are indeed golf cart accidents and in some instances they are serious might help prevent some accidents?

Case in point: Recently one of my neighbors had a minor accident when he was driving with one hand while drinking coffee. Couple of days ago I saw a gentleman maybe 70 or so doing the exact same thing but he had two young boys with him in the cart. If my neighbor could flip his cart making a turn then what might have happened to this other cart with the kids in it? And would some possibly think twice about doing that if they had read that someone else had encountered an unfortunate event?

Almost
 

Wife and I saw an ALMOST the other day A truck leaves a stop sign the GC on the road slams on his brakes because he feared an accident. He skids a good 15' then yells at the truck driver. Maybe he shouldn't have been going the 25 mph he was before the almost and obviously didn't learn because he was doing it again after the almost. PS before you ask I was in a car!

Incomplete information is worse than none at all. I would have thought knowing if more than one cart was involved, if they made contact, if one or both failed to abide by the rules of the raod would be instrutive to other drivers and the cause (speed, poor lighting in tunnel, cart defective, driver error, etc)

Compiling stats can be very useful provided they are compiled properly.

Wow Bogie, you're a tough one. If this was a restaurant complaint your stock reply would be "did you notify the manager". Now a subject that directly effects the majority of the residents directly or indirectly and your response is "why do we need to know". I would think this subject is a little more important then a complaint about hair in the potato salad....IMHO, just saying.
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Right on!

But, we did find out why............didn't we.

Somebody is going to get killed out there and we need to know how to reduce our risk. The tunnels are out of control with people speeding into them and having to swerve into the other lane (MINE!). I have seen numerous examples that if I wasn't driving defensively I would been clobbered.

Now WHERE are the instances of highest risk? Tunnels? LSL causeway bridge? Folks taking their half outta the middle coming around a curve facing a head on collision? Not yielding to cars? Drunken idiots? Kids?

Where can we adress the real issues. Studying the problem is the first step to education and resolution. LET'S DO THIS! Thanks POA for taking the lead...

You nailed it!!! :thumbup:

I do not think they will ever publish where all accidents take place.Just assume that all tunnels,bridges etc are hazards. Drive defensive and you will not have any problems.To me its a very safe place to drive a golf cart.I feel lot safer driving a golf cart here that my auto,thats where you have to pay attention. Golf cart driving not as bad as some people on this site say it is.

I think they should report ALL golf cart/bicycle/walker incidents in the newspaper....after all,it IS a hometown newspaper, and perhaps it would make all of us be more considerate if we realized how many accidents there really are.


JMO

I agree with others that reporting the cause and nature of the accident would be appropriate.

I hope the person who was hospitalized was not seriously injured.

Use some common sense when driving your golf cart. Mine is tuned to 19.5 mph and is constantly being passed by others while on the streets. That means they are speeding.

Use your GPS to check the speed of your cart if you do not have a speedometer. If it goes more than 20 mph, get it adjusted downward to just under 20 mph. I understand the tickets on the streets for carts going over 20 is mighty steep as they get you not only for speeding but for a vehicle without lots of necessary equipment (not a technical term). I have heard fines of over $250.

Am I to believe that all accidents are reported where you live and where you moved from? The area in Illinois we lived in certainly did not report every accident in the paper. Once a year they may have reported the more dangerous areas and/or intersections with the most accidents and the cause but certainly not every one as they happened.

Even if they were reported do you think it would change the driving habits of those that are dangerous and reckless?

A cart going slightly over 19.5 mph gets a big fine while a car going a few miles over 20 mph usually gets a pass.

.

It would only matter insofar as it adds up to an explanation of what happened or what caused the accident. In my opinion, if there are too many specifics lacking, it ceases to be a story. If the specifics are none of our business, then perhaps they have no-business wasting the readers time.

To those who say we're never satisfied: It's not our job to know how to run a good newspaper. We rely on the editor to use good judgement. If there are not enough facts to make it a story, maybe it shouldn't be printed. And, in some cases, maybe they could try to get more information. It might just take a phone call.

To help prevent future accidents, it helps to know what causes accidents. Suppose the accident involved a low-speed vehicle trying to drive through the tunnel at an unsafe speed? From what I understand, they are allowed to use the multi modal trails as long as they obey the speed limit. But I have seen them zipping along at a much higher rate of speed than what is allowed. Some might think, "so what," they got what they deserved, but there could have been someone walking or riding their bike in that tunnel.

Another consideration: Careless driving, like careless eating habits, is what drives up Medicare premiums and car insurance premiums too.

Many thanks for all the good replies on this thread. :ho: You-all have a nice day now. :)

My point exactly. Careful what you say the flamers will be after you.

You gotta remember that a cart that can exceed 20mph is a cart that has been modified to go faster than is considered safe according to the law. You are not being fined for speeding, but for driving an unregistered vehicle because once that cart is capable of faster than 20mph, it is no longer legally a cart and not considered safe.

This is not a "law enforcement" issue as much it is a "safety enforcement" issue. Maybe that is splitting hairs, but I would rather have my hairs split than entirely scalped.

I stated in another post here that stats compiled need to be accurate if to be believed. Another aspect is that there must be a sufficient number for them to be reliable. Tanslated most of us won't be driving anything by the time the POA have sufficient number to be reliable

Riding a bike into a golf cart tunnel is a very dangerous thing to do and I'll address this as soon as I can figure out what it has to do with a HAM SANDWICH.......

puzzled fumar...:confused:

"Golf Cart Tunnel" I know of no golf cart tunnel's. There are tunnel's on the multi modal trail, the one that is available for many modes of transportation such as but not limited to golf carts, walkers, roller blades, segways, joggers, bikes, trikes, motor scooters.
Golf carts are the main reason for accidents on the multi modal trail mostly because they are operated unsafely, too fast, using the phone, drinking coffee and other beverages, just plain stupidly by people that think they are golf cart trails and you better get the hell outta my way.
Every so often but not really very often someone has a medical emergency while driving their golf cart, this is an accident, no ones fault just an accident. Most ofetn cart accidents are like car accidents, someone just wasn't paying enough attention to driving.

how else can they justify rasing the golf car insurance.

The Great Fumar is fuming. :) Here's how it went down: The driver of a low speed vhicle entered the tunnel at a high rate of speed while eating a HAM SANDWICH. :) Suddenly, he noticed someone on a bike and swerved to the left. Startled by this, a golf cart driving in the oposite direction overcorrected to his right and hit the wall. :ho:

Agree
 

I agree- As I said before Cart transportation is ideal however with the increase of traffic and many irresponsible Cart operators I think a Micro Car like a Smart Car or Fiat 500 or Mini Cooper within the Village is safer. Heat AC Wipers and Air Bags.

Now before you all jump on me I said WITHIN THE VILLAGES not out on the interstate. One Bad Cart accident and your Cart, Car or homeowners insurance could be cancled.

Lets see 10-13K for a new Cart. Lease a Smart for $99 per month for three years or buy one for $14k 0% finance.

Just thinking? Of course Daaaaaaaa I don't play Golf! And most of you do!

Same kind of people on highways with autos. All they know how to do is swerve, thereby causing un-necessary problems and never think of using brakes and stopping to avoid a situation. They just don't want to be slowed down. Why is it the one causing the problem is not the ones injured?

And this also explains how the potato salad got hair in it:a040:
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